This invention relates to methods of molding moldable textile fabrics, and more particularly to such methods for molding stretch fabric into components of articles of apparel such as girdles.
The invention is especially concerned with molding items as above described of stretch fabrics such as nylon and polyester fabrics and spandex and, in general, is applicable to molding items of any textile fabric (knit, woven or otherwise) comprising synthetic fibers making it capable of being molded.
Reference may be made to the article entitled Molding of Knitted Fabrics appearing in the June 8, 1970 issue of Knitted Outerwear Times for a discussion of various prior techniques for molding fabrics into permanent three-dimensional shapes including cavity molding, drape molding, plug-assist molding and matched mold molding. The present invention comes within the category of cavity molding (also referred to as straight vacuum-forming in said article). Prior cavity molding techniques (or straight vacuum-forming techniques) have not been successful for molding stretch fabrics into permanent three-dimensional shapes.